Sir We Have an Orc Problem Upgrade Planner Tool

How to use this page

The interactive Upgrade Planner on this page turns Sir, We Have an Orc Problem’s massive meta tree into a short, ordered checklist. Choose one of four focus modes - Economy first, Combat first, Abilities first, or Balanced push - then follow each step between runs. Mark steps done after you buy the node in-game so the list reflects your real account, not a hypothetical plan.

This is a planning aid, not an official build calculator from Mumpitz Games. Costs and node names may shift slightly in patches; always confirm in the Steam client. Pair the planner with Upgrade Priority for reasoning and with Economy and Meta Progression when you wonder why losses still matter.

Why planning beats random clicking

Incremental tower defense lives or dies on compound upgrades. A +5% end-of-battle payout node looks boring next to flashy Gunner damage, but it accelerates every future purchase across a four-to-six-hour campaign. Conversely, buying three economy nodes while orc speed doubles mid-map produces clears that feel mathematically impossible until you backfill combat.

Random clicking also hides opportunity cost. Tower cap increases, Flamethrower unlocks, and Mortar splash upgrades interact - the Turret Tier List assumes you unlock towers in sensible order. The planner keeps those dependencies visible so you spend currency once per attempt instead of undoing bad specs mentally.

Economy first route - strategy context

Select Economy first when you are in Early Levels Walkthrough territory or returning to farm a previous map before a difficulty spike. This route prioritizes:

• End-of-battle payout percentage nodes
• Any upgrade that increases currency from losses
• Cheaper entry nodes that unlock deeper economy branches
• Minimal combat luxuries until payout compounds

Economy-first is not greed - it respects that Mumpitz Games designed wins and losses to fund the tree. Demo players noted finishing the last level while upgrades remained unpurchased; economy routing fixes that by making each retry pay more. Cross-read Economy Upgrades when a step name references payout or interest-style mechanics.

Stop economy-first pivot when map timers fail before your income matters - usually when orc speed jumps in mid game. Switch to Balanced push or Combat first at that signal.

Combat first route - strategy context

Select Combat first when placement is correct - see Choke Points - but leaks persist because raw DPS is low. This route chases:

• Gunner damage and fire rate
• Maximum tower count for Gunners and Flamethrowers
• Flamethrower tick improvements for front-line softening
• Mortar and Cannon splash once unlocked
• Combat perks like Headhunter or Power Shot when listed in Combat Upgrades

Combat-first suits Late-Game Walkthrough pushes where ten-thousand-orc waves overwhelm passive damage unless Flamethrower and Mortar lines are maxed. It is a poor opening route for absolute beginners who lack payout nodes - economy starvation makes combat nodes feel weaker than they are.

Abilities first route - strategy context

Select Abilities first when mid-game maps fail during cooldown gaps rather than steady leaks. Bombing runs, orbital lasers, and eventual nukes erase spikes that towers cannot match without unrealistic investment. This route prioritizes:

• Unlocking active abilities as soon as the tree allows
• Cooldown reduction on your most-used tool
• Supporting economy nodes only when needed to afford ability tiers

Read Bombing Runs alongside this route. Abilities-first players still need baseline tower caps - do not skip every Gunner upgrade. The planner alternates ability steps with minimal combat so you are not clicking nukes into empty trenches.

Best paired with Mid-Game Walkthrough when speed modifiers outpace passive clears.

Balanced push route - strategy context

Balanced push is the default recommendation for a first full Steam clear. It alternates economy and combat nodes, dipping into abilities when the checklist reaches mid-campaign tiers. Balanced avoids the classic trap where combat-heavy accounts stall on price tags, or economy-heavy accounts stall on DPS checks.

Use Balanced when:

• You are following How to Play and learning simultaneously
• You are unsure which track is weakest
• You play one map three to five times and want each attempt to buy something useful

Switch out of Balanced only when profiling shows a clear bottleneck - profile by noting whether failures happen early (placement), mid (DPS), or late (cooldowns).

Step-by-step session workflow

1. Finish a battle with win or loss.
2. Open the meta tree in-game and purchase the next planner step you can afford.
3. Return here and mark the step done.
4. If you cannot afford the next step, replay the highest-yield map you have cleared - often the latest or Late-Game Walkthrough farm route.
5. Enter build phase with new caps or damage before pressing Space - see Controls.

Repeat until the checklist completes or you beat the campaign and optionally farm leftovers.

Mapping planner steps to wiki pages

When a step mentions a tower, open its turret page if available - Gunner, Flamethrower, Mortar. When a step mentions payout or interest, open economy guides. When a step mentions bombing runs or lasers, open ability pages. The planner is an index into deeper prose, not a replacement.

Common planner mistakes

Marking steps done without buying duplicates progress visually but not in-game. Skipping entire tracks because one node looks boring delays compounding returns. Resetting focus every run prevents synergies from forming - stick with one mode for at least three purchases unless profiling says otherwise.

Also avoid planner obsession during your first hour - play one map, then open the tool. Touching grass (or orcs) teaches leak lines spreadsheets hide.

After the checklist

When steps run out or your tree nears completion, read Game Review for optional farming context and revisit How to Beat Hard Levels if challenge modes or self-imposed constraints interest you. The planner gets you to a competent tree; mastery still lives in placement and ability timing.